Fact: Walking is one of the simplest and most effective ways to increase both your healthspan and longevity.

Every 1,000 extra steps you take—beyond 2,500 a day—decreases your risk of death from any cause by 12 percent.¹

Also, fact: Between work, family responsibilities, errands, and everything else, it can feel like there’s no space to fit in a walk—let alone build a daily habit around it.

But what if walking didn’t have to be a separate thing on your to-do list? What if it could replace something else—or make it better?

Sometimes the biggest obstacles are in our heads. If you struggle to squeeze in your daily steps, it might be time to think differently about walking.

So, here’s a novel idea: Not every walk has to be about the walk.

In this quick article, I’ll show you eight kinds of walks that can get you moving more—while helping you in other areas of your life at the same time.

Because the best habits aren’t the ones you force—they’re the ones that fit.

(This post was inspired by advice from top health and nutrition coach Kate Solovieva.)

The Catchup Walk

Want to reconnect with a friend? Instead of meeting for lunch or drinks, why not go for a walk?

You’ll get some steps in, and the conversation often flows more naturally when you’re side by side.

There’s a reason “walk-and-talk” therapy exists—moving together, without the pressure of constant eye contact, can help some people feel more at ease and lead to deeper, more meaningful conversations.

The Problem-Solving Walk

According to nineteenth-century philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche, “All truly great thoughts are conceived by walking.”²,³ But you don’t have to just take his word for it: A series of Stanford University studies found that walking can significantly boost creative thinking.³

Most of the walking sessions in the study were short—just 4 to 16 minutes—but even brief strolls led to a noticeable increase in the number of creative ideas people generated.

The effect was especially strong for divergent thinking—the kind that helps you come up with original, varied solutions or brainstorm new uses for familiar things.

Even more interesting? The participants’ creative juices didn’t stop flowing when their walk ended. They remained more creative afterward, even when they returned to sitting.

(Hat tip to the Stanford scientists who dug up that Nietzsche quote.)

The Dog Walk

Your dog needs it, and so do you. Plus, it’s a great way to bond with your pet.

The After-Dinner Walk

While the couch might look inviting after a meal, taking a short walk instead can do wonders for your health. That’s because research shows going for a walk within 30 minutes after a meal can significantly improve blood sugar and enhance metabolic health.⁴

The benefits may go beyond your blood sugar, though. In Italy, people often take an evening stroll, known as “la passeggiata,” after dinner. The tradition isn’t about burning off calories; it’s about enjoying fresh air and spending time with loved ones.

Interestingly, in a 50-year study, researchers found that Italian immigrants living in Roseto, Pennsylvania, had significantly lower rates of heart disease—partly attributed to such cultural lifestyle habits as la passeggiata—than folks living a more typical American lifestyle in the next town over.⁵,⁶ (Read more: How the Roseto Effect Can Help You Live Longer.)

The Mood-Boosting Walk

If you find yourself in a bad mood, that’s your cue: It’s time for a walk. And by “bad mood,” I mean anytime you’re feeling down, frustrated, stressed, overwhelmed, or angry.

A University of Mississippi study found that just 5 minutes of walking was enough to significantly improve mood.⁷

And a meta-analysis of 75 randomized, controlled trials concluded that walking can reduce symptoms of depression and anxiety across all kinds of people, no matter how often or how far they walked—or whether they were indoors or outside.⁸

Most people aren’t very productive when they’re in a low or agitated mood—which means going for a walk isn’t a “time suck”—it’s a well-placed investment in better focus and a better day.

The Multi-Tasking Walk

Walking doesn’t have to mean stopping everything else. Start thinking of it as a way to get things done—and you’ll find more chances to move.

Need some tomatoes? Coffee? Soap? Walk to the store—if it’s safe and within a reasonable distance. (Does anyone do this anymore?) Toss on a backpack if you have a few items to get.

Have to call into a meeting? Grab your Airpods and get going.

Told your sister you’d call? Take care of it on a walk.

The bottom line: Even small errands and conversations can be a way to sneak in more movement. Look for opportunities.

The Self-Indulgent Walk

Use “temptation bundling” to make walking something you really look forward to.

Temptation bundling is a concept developed by Katy Milkman, PhD, and a team of researchers at the University of Pennsylvania. It involves bundling a “should” (exercise) with a “want” or “temptation” (something else you really enjoy).

In 2014, the researchers conducted a study to see if it’d work. They gave one group of gym goers a “tempting” audiobook of their choosing—The Hunger Games was most popular—but with an important caveat: The participants could only listen to it while exercising on a treadmill or other aerobic machine.⁹

Turns out, these folks worked out 51 percent more frequently than gym members who weren’t given an audiobook.

“This pairing makes ‘should’ activities—like walking—more enticing and therefore more likely to be readily executed; it also makes ‘want’ activities less wasteful and guilt-inducing,” say the researchers.¹⁰

So what’s your Hunger Games? What’s an audiobook or podcast you love? Save it for your daily walk, and see if it makes getting your steps in more enticing.

The Mall Walk

Sure, everyone made fun of “mall walkers” in the 80s. But it’s actually a great idea, especially on bad weather days or when you’ve got time to kill after dropping your kids off at Hollister. Take advantage of the climate-controlled, traffic free walking space to accumulate more steps.

Maybe just skip the velour tracksuit.

References

1. Jayedi A, Gohari A, Shab-Bidar S. Daily Step Count and All-Cause Mortality: A Dose-Response Meta-analysis of Prospective Cohort Studies. Sports Med. 2022 Jan;52(1):89–99.

2. Nietzsche, F. (1889). Twilight of the idols, or how to philosophize with a hammer. Leipzig, Germany; Verlag von C. G. Naumann.

3. Oppezzo M, Schwartz DL. Give your ideas some legs: the positive effect of walking on creative thinking. J Exp Psychol Learn Mem Cogn. 2014 Jul;40(4):1142–52.

4. DiPietro L, Gribok A, Stevens MS, Hamm LF, Rumpler W. Three 15-min bouts of moderate postmeal walking significantly improves 24-h glycemic control in older people at risk for impaired glucose tolerance. Diabetes Care. 2013 Oct;36(10):3262–8.

5. Stout C, Marrow J, Brandt EN Jr, Wolf S. Unusually low incidence of death from myocardial infarction. Study of an Italian American community in Pennsylvania. JAMA. 1964...

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